Shinji Almighty
by Gregg Landsman
Summary: Tired of Shinji's constant depression, a special visitor grants Shinji a new position...and a slight raise in his status in the universe...
1. Default Chapter

            Neon Genesis Evangelion is the property of Gainax, all rights reserved.  If it were mine, my head would be a lot more screwed up than it already was.

**Shinji Almighty**

            Despite only being the 14th Angel, it is Zeruel who falls last, collapsing into a heap on top of the prone Gaghiel.

            Sachiel lies near the tower, the largest building in Tokyo 3, Bardiel's limbs tied around it in a sailor's knot, Shamshel lying against the building with parts of Ireul stuffed in places unmentionable.

            13 of the 17 Angels lie defeated.  Arael hovers silently in the sky, making no actions as she contemplates the battle.  Neither does Sandalfon battle, for it is young and still knows better than to let purpose guide him.

            And neither Adam nor Lilith would attend this battle even if they were to leave the underground base, for they know it was a folly for the Angels to even fight.

            And as Tabris raises his head, returning to consciousness from atop of the form of Leilel which has somehow been compressed into the size of a Volkswagen Beatle, he looks up…and he sees lighting crackling in the clear night sky, framing the one who beat them so easily.

            Standing in the air above the tower that acts as an ammunition storage building, the air underneath his sneakers shimmering with the power that keeps him aloft, a young man revels in his power.

            For he has accepted the position and the power that has been given to him.

            For it has just saved his ass.

            He is a young man, with barely cropped black hair and blue eyes, still dressed in the white button shirt and black slacks of his school uniform.  He extends his arms out, holding his hands in such a way that he feels that he could grip the entire city…the entire _world…_with a simple gesture.

            And he smiles, eyes shimmering as the lightning crackles and thunder roars beneath him.  And when he speaks, it is with a voice that would overpower even the roar of his Eva, and shake the foundations of the world, for all can hear him.

            "**I am Shinji Almighty,**" Shinji Ikari thunders, "**Let my Will be Done!**"

            And the lightning strikes Tabris just for posterity.

            NERV HQ.

            It is a sight none of the command staff nor the primary bridge crew ever thought they'd live to see.

            Commander Gendo Ikari, eyes wide, mouth open in shock, his glasses sliding dangerously close to the edge of his nose.

            The woman next to him, a mid thirties woman with short-cropped brown hair and dressed as a lab tech, reaches over and daintily closes his mouth with two of her fingers, turning to Sub Commander Fuyutsuki with a raised eyebrow.

            "Let me guess," she says, "This wasn't in the scenario?"

            Fuyutsuki nods, letting out a long, nervous breath as he stares ahead at the screen.

            And considers how this all started, almost a month ago…


	2. And Shinji said, Let there be Light

**And Shinji said, "Let there be Light…"**

            One month after the defeat of the 14th Angel, shortly after Shinji was recovered from the core of Unit 01.  Shinji hasn't moved from his hospital bed for over a day.  His guardian, Major Katsuragi, has become worried about his lethargic state.

            His father, Commander Ikari, hasn't said anything positive or negative, once again convincing everyone he doesn't give a damn.  The Eva is in lockdown anyway, so it doesn't matter either way to his status as a pilot.

            But some people it does matter to.  It matters to the Second Child, Asuka Langely Sohryu, stealing chance glances as she passes by his hospital room on a frequent, suspect basis.  She wouldn't admit it to anyone, but she was just waiting for something, any sign that he was alive…

            Not that he wasn't.  He was just listless…and that worried her.  She expected him to apologize for being absorbed by his berserk Eva at any moment…and she still holds out hope he will.

            It also matters to the First Child, the enigmatic Rei Ayanami.  Though she would not show it, they know she cares.  Especially her guardian.  He especially knows, but would not show any sign.  His plans are too important to be interrupted.

            And so Shinji is left alone, lying listless, facing the white ceiling of the infirmary, his view only interrupted by his blinking.  Memories he's finding himself forced by his sanity to forget slip through to the surface.  Of his mother's face.  Of the heartbeat of 01 moments before it absorbed him.

            Of the fact that he spent a month inside the beast which devoured his mother when he was barely even a toddler.

            Things that any person, even a mature, stable adult, shouldn't have to cope with his fragile teenage mind finds itself reeling in…until a calm overtakes him.

            And sunlight streams through the windows as the blinds are parted.

            "Time to wake up, Shinji."

            The boy blinks, his mind registering the idea that another person is in the room.  Turning his head, he sees the figure standing by the window, silhouetted by the sunlight, arms folded behind him.

            "Father," Shinji asks.

            The visitor chuckles, turning to Ikari.

            "It's been a while since I've been called that."

            Walking from the light and into the tolerable illumination of the hospital lights, Shinji sees why he mistook the visitor for his father.

            The man is tall, broad shouldered, with close-cropped black hair and clear, square glasses adorning his nose.

            But instead of a black and red uniform like his father's, the man is clad in a suit.  Gray, light gray to the point where it resembles white, the jacket open to reveal a collarless white buttoned shirt.  His white shoes make no sound against the floor, and there is something in the man's blue eyes that seem…right…when he looks at him with an admiring gaze.

            "Hello, Shinji Ikari," the man says, "I've come to talk with you."

            The man pulls up a chair, sitting next to Shinji's bed.  For a moment, the two stare at each other, knowing nothing of each other…but at the same time, feeling a familiarity that Shinji has never felt with anyone ever before.

            "Who are you?"

            The man smiles, folding his hand in front of him and placing them on his lap.

            "I'm God, Shinji," the man responds, "Ever since your mother first disappeared, ever since your father abandoned you, you've wondered if I even exist.  And you've wondered that, if I did, if I knew what I was doing.  So, I've decided that we should put that to the test.  We're going to try something that has not been tried before.  At least, not any time in recent memory."

            The man places his hand on Shinji's forehead, the fingertips glowing, the eyes of the stranger glowing with white, warm light.

            "When I leave this room," he says, "You will be bestowed upon with all of My power.  For one month, you shall be in My rank and position.  But on Earth.  And you will be the director of My plan, and we shall see if you can do this job better than I can."

            The glow relaxes…and the man pinches Shinji's cheek, stretching out the boy's mouth in an elongated smile.

            "You're a good kid," he says, "Don't worry.  Help'll be on the way to guide you later on."

            And with that, the stranger is gone.

            "I think," Shinji says, "I'm ready to go home now."

            The drive home was spent in silence.  Well, at least for Shinji, as he sat in the back seat of Misato's car, not paying attention as the Major drove in her typical psychotic fashion as Asuka yelled out traffic laws to her.  But through it all, Shinji simply sat in silence, pondering his visitation…or was it even that?  Or merely a stress induced hallucination?

            _I wonder what Asuka's thinking right now…,_ he silently muses.

            _Thank God this is over._

            Shinji perks his head up at the sound of her voice, leaning over the divider to ask her what she meant, when a sharp turn slams him back into his seat…and a hand steadies him to keep from slipping out of his seatbelt.

            When Shinji looks to his side, he sees no one there…but sees a feather laying on the seat which he knows was not there earlier.

            His musings are cut short as Misato pulls into her parking space at the apartment building, Asuka and Shinji stumbling out of the car and following their guardian to the elevator.

            The ride up is spent in silence…until, finally, Shinji speaks up.

            "I'm glad it's over to," he says, turning to Asuka…who narrows her eyes in confusion.

            "What?" she asks.

            "I…never mind," he sighs, turning back to the elevator doors as their guardian smirks.

            The doors open as they reach the floor, the two following their guardian to the apartment door and following her into the living room.  And Misato promptly sighs once she hears the message on her answering machine, walking past them and grabbing her uniform coat from her coat rack.

            "What's wrong?" Shinji asks.

            "NERV wants me back at base," Misato says, "More tests on Unit 01 and I have to supervise.  I'll be home late, so go on and make dinner without me."

            She walks to the door, opening it and turning in the doorway to her charges.

            "So you two be careful, and if you can't be careful be safe," she says with a grin, "And if you can't be safe, then name it after me."

            And she closes the door before the entendre can sink in, and escapes the series of blistering oaths from Asuka.

            Shinji, on the other hand, saw it coming and escaped to his Spartan room, leaving only poor Pen Pen to deal with the mighty Langely's wrath…although now that he sees the room, he believes he may be safer with her.

            Standing in the middle of his room is a grown man, with long brown hair tied into a waist-length ponytail, with an aged, worn face and clad in a white tunic and gold armor covering his knees down, and his forearms and hands.

            And coming out of his shoulders are a pair of massive, feathered, beautiful wings.

            "Oh, Hell," the man says, "You're going loopy seeing my like this, aren't you?"

            The man snaps his fingers.  His tunic and armor is replaced by a brown leisure suit and yellow shirt, his wings vanished into small clouds of feathers.

            "Right," he says, "As you can tell, I'm an Angel.  But I'm here to help you adjust to your new, hopefully temporary role and provide instruction.  I am…"

            The man spreads out his arms, the room rumbling faintly upon his pronunciation.

            "…the _Metatron__._"

            Shinji scratches the side of his head, shrugging…and the man sighs, shoulders slumping.

            "The Voice of God," he growls, "You know, the voice prophets hear and the like?  I'm that.  With the sole exception of you, whenever God has spoken to a corporeal human, He has done so through me.  I swear, go without a prophet for a few centuries and everyone ignores you."

            "Wh…what are you doing here?"

            "As the Lord has granted you His position, I have been selected to act as your guide to your new powers.  Don't worry about the mundane stuff for now, your subconscious has split off a portion to deal with day-to-day 'running the cosmos' stuff, but it's the actual power I'm here to provide a guide for."

            "Oh…oh, okay.  What do I do?"

            Metatron raises a hand…and stops, realizing that the first thing Shinji said _wasn't_ a questioning of whether or not he was hallucinating.

            "Must come from piloting the giant purple people eater," he says, and folds his hands behind him, "Very well.  To use your powers at present, you will for it to be done."

            "Will it to be done?" Shinji asks, scratching his head, "How do I do that?"

            "You know… 'thy will be done, thy Kingdom Come?'  That's how it works.  At this point, you have a very limited state of conscious control over the Power.  Therefore, you must verbalize your actions.  Say 'I wish that I had wings' and then, _BAM,_ you have wings.  It's that simple."

            A small grin appears on Metatron's face, as the Angel bounces slightly on his heels.

            "Let's take that omnipotence for a test drive, then," he continues, "Make a wish.  Anything.  But…"

            "But?"

            "But try not to destroy the world.  It kind of ticks off the rest of the Host."

            Shinji stares at the seraphim for a long moment…and sighs, shrugging.

            "I'll try," he says, "But…I don't know what to wish for."

            "Anything.  Confidence, a new tape player, a large cheeseburger with fries.  Anything you want, even if it is to appease the banshee you're dealing with.  Just see if the power reacts to you like we think it will."

            "But, I don't want any of that," Shinji says, lowering his head, "I just wish we could understand each other."

            Asuka drums her fingers on the kitchen table as Pen Pen continues chiding her in his own little bird language.  She ignores him, her mind focusing on and picking apart the declaration their guardian made before she left, as the can of soda she has in her right hand slowly crushes in its vice grip.

            "_Wark__!__  Wark wark wark!  Wark!  Wark!  Wa-and do you have to sulk around every damn day?!  The sexual tension here's thick enough to cut with a god damn knife!  And another thing, would it kill you to actually feed me, I mean, you know I don't have thumbs!_"

            Asuka's eyes snap open at the voice.  Slowly, carefully turning, she looks down to the glaring penguin…

            "_And what the Hell are YOU looking at?!_" the Penguin demands.

            It starts somewhere at the bottom of her lungs.  Slowly, it travels through the esophagus, up into her throat, into her mouth…and comes out in the form of Asuka's ear-splitting scream, as she falls out of her chair and onto the floor.  She scrambles to her feet, running from the now speaking pet, and into her room, where she locks the door and keeps repeating to herself something about only dreaming.

            Shinji closes the door, turning back to Metatron, having witnessed the entire episode.

            The Angel grins, folding his arms.

            "Congratulations.  First use of the Power and you make the family pet talk.  Not bad.  Nice and non-destructive."

            "What do people who get this power usually do with a first wish?" Shinji asks, idly turning back to the kitchen and the still ranting bird.

            "Invade Asia," Metatron responds, patting Shinji on the shoulder, "Don't sweat it.  I think you'll get along fine."


	3. And Shinji Saw that It was Good

**And Shinji saw that It was Good…**

___________________________________________

            Ryouji Kaji walks into the Katsuragi apartment, knocking on the door and looking around to find the entrance and subsequently the living room completely empty save for Pen Pen.  Silently, he creeps into the apartment with the training of a super-spy, walking to the kitchen and finding that, to, is empty.

            "Hello?" he asks, "I got a call from Misato.  Asuka?  She said something was wrong."

            He scratches his head, looking around.  To him, this makes no sense; without fail, whenever he walks into the apartment Asuka's always ready to greet him with the zeal of a future stalker.  Shrugging, he walks to her door, knocking on it.

            "Asuka?  It's me.  Is anything wrong?"

            The door opens, just a sliver, and he sees the bloodshot eye looking past him and to the kitchen.

            "Pen Pen…is…_talking,_" she says, and quickly slides the door shut.

            "Asuka," Kaji asks, "Have you been drinking Misato's beer?"

            "No…only one," the voice whispers from behind the door.

            Kaji walks from the door to the kitchen, opening the refrigerator and taking out one of the ever present cans of Yebisu beer, opening it and sniffing.

            "Hm…don't smell any hallucinogens.  And Asuka should have a cast-iron stomach, since she's lived with Misato this long."

            He turns to the direction of the living room.

            "Pen Pen?"

            "_Yo__._"

            Kaji stands still for a moment, processing the fact that the penguin just replied.  And shrugs, taking a long drag of the beer.

            "Eh, I've seen weirder."

            And he goes to the couch to join the penguin in watching television, relieved that there's someone he can have a conversation with in the apartment.

            "Oh, and isn't he a _wonderful_ help?"

            Shinji sighs, turning back to the droll Metatron before closing the door.

            "I thought he'd at least be suspicious," Shinji says, "And he can keep a secret."

            "Oh, I'm sure he'd take 'I'm God now' with more than just ruffling your hair and sitting you down to explain about typical teenage psychological complexes," the Angel says, folding his arms, "Don't worry about the first wish.  I get the feeling everyone here will become alarmingly used to the idea of the penguin talking soon enough.  Now, we need to discuss further uses of your power.  What do you want to do with it?"

            "Me?  What do I want to do with it?" Shinji asks, eyes snapping open, "I…didn't know I had a choice…"

            The Metatron sighs, shaking his head.

            "You seem to misunderstand the meaning of the word 'Omnipotent.'  Of course you have the choice.  You currently have every choice humanly possible at your fingertips."

            "And what can I do with it?  What sort of power does it give me?"

            "Say you wish the Angels would leave Earth alone, and it is done.  Say you wish your mother was alive again, and it is done.  It gives you _all_ the power that there is.  Do you understand?"

            "I…think so," Shinji responds, walking over to his futon and sitting down on it, "I think so.  It takes me literally, doesn't it?"

            The Angel nods.

            "Very literally?"

            "You wanted understanding and the penguin began talking.  Very literally."

            "So if I asked for my father to go to Hell…"

            "He'd be getting a tan right now, yes."

            "Oh.  Well…alright…ah…"

            He smiles.  Darkly, folding his hands in front of him.

            "You wouldn't hold it against me if I decided to get some payback, would you," he asks, looking to the Angel.

            "I know what you're thinking.  Go ahead."

            "Alright," Shinji says, rubbing his hands together, "Then I wish…"

            Commander Gendo Ikari pushes his glasses back up his nose…and they fly off, past his desk and onto the floor.  He looks around, standing up, taking another quick glance around to determine exactly why they shot off like a wind-up car, and walks around the desk to him.

            At this moment, the sprinklers come on, soaking the room, the floor, and Commander Ikari.

            The bright side is that the reports he was looking over with laminated for use in a projector at a future SEELE council meeting, but that doesn't help him as the Commander lets loose a series of blistering oaths as he stalks towards his glasses.

            He picks them up, placing them on his nose, and walks back to the desk.

            This is when he determines that the sprinklers were in fact not filled with water but with fire retardant.

            Frictionless fire retardant.

            He realizes this when his shoes lose all semblance of traction, and in a spectacular slip that leaves him in mid-air for 3.2 seconds, he slams his ass against the desk, bouncing off of it and slamming his back against the floor, screaming epitaphs that, unfortunately, aren't heard outside his sound-proofed office.

            This is when he noticed that one of his feet, dangling in the air as he grabs his now throbbing with pain seat, is bare down to a sock.  And sees the object silhouetted in the reflected light of the Sephirotic Tree.

            It was in mid air that his left shoe flew off, flying through the air, bouncing off the ceiling…

            And smacking him heel-first in the forehead, making him scream yet another series of curses.

            "Thy will be done," Metatron says with a grin, "I'm just telling you're going to love this."

            Bermuda, one of the few sets of islands spared the tidal waves of Second Impact.

            Mainly for the beaches.

            God (or He who was Once Known as God and is on Vacation for a Month) lies on a beach chair, still clad in his white suit, hands cradling his head as he stairs out at the setting sun.

            "Admit it.  The sunsets are beautiful."

            "Yes, they're wonderful.  Can we focus on the fact that absolute power has been handed to a neurotic with a severe Oedipus complex?"

            God looks over his shoulder to one of the fifteen visitors currently inhabiting the sparse island.  The speaker is a young man with white hair and red eyes, dressed casually in a white shirt and black pants.  A few years older than his physical form will be when he assumes his role, he possesses none of the serenity that would ingrain him to the Third Child…

            Or anyone else, for that matter.

            "You're a lot nicer when you're Kaworu, Tabris," God says.

            "Yes, that's all fascinating," Tabris says, grinding his teeth, "But that's because in that form I am Mortal.  I know pain, fear.  I see things not through the big picture but through the eyes of one fascinated by life.  And most importantly, I do not see the colossal…_blunder…_that this threatens to enact."

            The 17th angel shakes his head, looking past God and to the sea.

            "The other Angels of Trial are here to…question this action with I.  We do not see the wisdom of granting the Omnipotence and the Omniscience to any mortal, much less a Child, and especially also dispatching the Metatron to him to _guide_ him on how to use his Power."

            "All was done through my wisdom," God says with a small grin, "Of course, it can conflict with the Trials of Man, but we will see what is for the best."

            Tabris fumes, his pale skin turning bright red as he is all but brushed off by his Creator.  A smaller hand pats him on the shoulder, and the Angel of Free Will turns to stare daggers into the smaller form of a silver-haired young woman.

            "Yes, Arael?" he says through clenched teeth.

            "Perhaps I may?" she asks, "What Tabris means is that…we are concerned.  We have labored long and hard to bring about Complementation, and with absolute power handed a human, this could put it in jeopardy."

            "True," God responds, "But it is out of our hands now.  Mortals are what will be affected.  Mortals, therefore, should decide."

            Tabris closes his eyes, releasing a long, pent up breath, as the thirteen figures behind Arael and himself nod in agreements to the edict.

            "Thy will be done," Tabris says, "Thy Kingdom Come.  Will You take offense if we still pursue our agenda?"

            "I shall not.  It is your present purpose and, as always, I wish you luck."

            Tabris turns.  As one, so do the thirteen figures, and they march off with him.  Arael bows, and then walks off after the others.

            "Oh, this should be interesting," a blonde figure says, materializing next to God, flexing out his white, slightly charred wings, "Did you plan this?"

            "Of course not," God says with a grin, "I simply nudged it along.  But yes…this will be interesting."

            Misato's reaction to the talking penguin was the same as her reaction of all of the unexpected surprises of life:

            Beer.

            Life went on that night is the Katsuragi household as it always has, with the exception of the fact that Pen Pen now could openly offer his insightful knowledge of the world at large.

            Eventually, Asuka was convinced that Pen Pen talking was not necessarily a bad thing.  Invisible to all, Metatron pointed out to Shinji that, eventually, he will be able to use his powers in a benign fashion, and it may be best to start with those closest to him.

            Despite ending the statement with the words 'hint, hint,' Shinji did not grasp the true meaning.

            All seemed well.  At least, in all places but the now cleaned office of Commander Ikari.  No one would dare look for what was amiss, as such things were not looked upon favorably by the commanding officer.

            Indeed, no worker would have the intestinal fortitude to peer into that particular drawer in that particular desk, and look upon the container that held the embryonic form of the First Angel, Adam.

            And to see that the container was empty.


	4. And on the Second Day

**And on the Second Day…**

_______________________________

            Shinji Ikari, Third Child, pilot of Evangelion 01, and currently acting Supreme Deity, strips off his clothes and walks into the shower, letting the water wash over him.

            He begins to hum as he lathers himself up, not sure why he opted for the shower instead of a bath…and then remembers something about 'singing in the shower' that he heard about on the television.

            And he begins to sing.

            Loudly, not caring if anyone hears him, gyrating his tucchus to the music as it faces the glass door, carrying each note and word.  Smiling to himself, satisfied as he finishes the shower, he opens the glass door and steps out, buck naked, onto the bathroom carpet…

            And finds the Metatron waiting.

            "Just promise me I'll never have to watch that again," he groans.

            Tabris materializes above the blood sea that was once Antarctica, light in his hands and fire in his eyes.  The sea of broken ice below him, he walks across the air, studying the scenery.

            With another burst of light Arael appears, floating on wings manifest from her shoulders.

            "Sister," Tabris says, "I have pondered bringing forth another Angel to act as the 15th.  One who would be better suited to the role."

            "Why?" she asks, "I am the 15th Angel.  I am the Angel of Truth, am I not?"

            "Yes…but power is what we need.  Another Angel of Strength to fight the Third Child."

            "But Zeruel has fought and fallen.  Who would we…"

            Her face seizes in horror.

            "No," she whispers, "Why?"

            "Because it will be necessary," Tabris says, contemplating the sea below, "The Angel of Truth you may be…but now I will approach the Fire Bringer himself."

            He opens his arms, a brief glow of light escaping his eyes as he closes them.  Beneath him, in the sea of blood, a pinprick of darkness surfaces…and expands to fill the sea.

            It expands to consume all of what was once Antarctica, crackling as lines of white shift over it before calming.

            "The sea of Dirac," Arael whispers.

            "Come forth, Fire Bringer," Tabris shouts, "Come forth, oh strongest of our Kin, and take the Chariot for which I have provided!"

            And a silver-white hand, large enough to fit both of them in its palm, bursts from the nothingness.

            "…and so, as Second Impact shifted the poles of the world, economic and ecological collapse, lead to the present situations of…"

            Shinji, as always, pays little to no attention to the droning of the teacher.  However, instead of drowning in his own misery as usual, his thoughts wander and communicate with the invisible man sitting on the floor next to him.

            "You know, as the Voice of God, I should at least get a chair."

            _Then it'll give you away._

            "Thank you, Oh Omnipotent One.  You could just make them forget."

            _Fine.__  I wish you had a chair._

"Bean bag."

            _What?_

            "I want a bean bag chair.  I like those more."

            _Fine.__  I wish you had a bean bag chair, and that no one noticed you and it._

            A bean bag chair appears under Metatron, who leans back in it, hands cradling his head.

            "Much better.  Want to make a wish to get this guy to talk about something else?"

            _I don't want to abuse my power.  I know what I have done with it, but I don't…I don't want to use it in the wrong way.  Just using it on the Sensei because I'm bored would be wrong._

            Metatron smiles to himself, victorious in one assessment.

            The Commander has never been a patient in the infirmary.  He's never seen the point of it, until now.

            Currently, he has a cast on his right leg, an ice pack on his forehead to cover the pronounced red mark, and a cast over his tucchus.  The nurses and doctors have been sworn to secrecy, and the only person aware of the situation in its entirety is himself, and the Sub Commander standing next to the bed as Ikari puts his uniform back on.

            "I've had your chair in your office and at Central Dogma padded for the…condition," Fuyutsuki says, standing stock still and trying not to chuckle as Ikari tries to pull his shoe on over his cast, "You know, your leg will heal in two weeks at most.  You won't lose face by walking around with a crutch."

            "I won't allow this to get out," Ikari responds in an even tone, "The Old Men are looking for any sort of weakness, especially since the incident with Unit 01."

            "Yes.  Yes, they are."

            "And the Third Child?"

            "Sync Tests should resume this afternoon."

            "Good.  Has the Major or Section 2 reported any abnormal behavior?"

            "None.  Seems more or less normal, save a little skittishness when anyone mentions the 14th Angel."

            "Expected.  He will still serve in the plan.  We're too far in to stop now.  We stand together or hang separately."

            "I agree," Fuyutsuki says wearily, "Ready to go, Ikari?"

            The commander nods wordlessly, and walks, shakily at first and then normally, and the two exit.

            Arael manifests upon the beach she walked on earlier, facing the sun as it draws to its zenith.  She turns, smiling to her relaxing creator…and her face contorts in shock as she sees his companion, thrusting her hand forward and releasing a ball of crackling light.

            The blonde man raises a hand, catching it and dispersing it as he splays his fingers.

            "Arael," he says, "One would think that living in the Elysium as long as you have, you would learn not to so blatantly attack your kin."

            "You are no brother to I, Morningstar," Arael seethes, wings tensing as she prepares for battle, "Sir, what is-"

            "Hold, Arael," God says, raising a hand as he sits up on his beach chair, "We were discussing matters.  This place is a neutral zone.  Even though he is exiled from Paradise, he may walk here with Myself should he wish."

            He stands, a warm, inviting smile appearing on his glasses-framed face.

            "What can I do for you, Arael?"

            "I…have concerns," Arael responds, her wings slumping, "Tabris worries me.  The Plan worries me.  I need to go to the World to…see what must be done."

            "Ah…as a mortal."

            "Yes.  I must take on Flesh to observe the changes in the Trials."

            God nods, placing a hand on Arael's shoulder.

            "So be it," he says, "Though I do not have the power to send you on your way.  Would you be averse to my guest doing so?"

            Arael looks to the smiling blonde man, trying to keep the bile down her throat.  She nods, eyes closed.

            Slowly, the man rises, folding out his wings, his eyes glowing.

            "Very well," he says, "Walk well in the world of Men.  And try not to show your wings.  They tend to be…misunderstanding…of our true purpose."

            And he snaps his fingers.  And she disappears.

            Metatron's eyes go wide, and he disappears.

            In that moment, time freezes…and Shinji can feel time lurching as its ripped from his control, resetting to the beginning of that school day.  He wheezes, breathing heavily as he braces against the desk, Asuka giving him an odd look.

            "What's wrong, Third Child?" she asks.

            "It's…nothing," he lies, "Breakfast must have disagreed with me."

            He turns from Asuka to Rei, scanning her face for any sign she knew…but finds none.

            _Of course she wouldn't know.  I'm so far above her now…no.  Don't think that.  You're still the same…_

            He turns his attention back to the sensei as he coughs to get the attention of the students.

            "We have a new student today," he says, "I would like you all to welcome her."

            A girl walks through the door, shyly at first…but then smiles, walking with confidence to the front of the room.  She is young, seemingly younger than any of them despite being the same age.  She is small, the shortest of them, but distinct nonetheless, standing tall with her pride and smiling with shining teeth.

            Her hair is the color of ash, her eyes a light blue.

            And Shinji can swear he sees the outlines of wings coming from her back…but puts it aside.

            "Hello," she says, "My name is Ariel Nagisa.  It is a pleasure to meet you all."

            _He looks like shit._

            That is the first thought on Misato's mind the moment Gendo Ikari walks onto Central Dogma and takes his seat.  Not that she hasn't had that opinion of his personality, treatment of his son and the other Children, or general history, but she hasn't thought about that in terms of his appearance.

            "Major, what is the current status?"

            Misato takes her attention away from the large red mark at the center of the Commander's forehead, and to the folder she's currently holding.

            "All's clear, sir," she says, "No blue patterns detected, and all Eva's are operating nominally, except for 01, which is still in freeze."

            "Excellent," Ikari responds as he takes his typical position and, unbeknownst to them, positions his ass-cast in a better position in the seat, "As you were."

            Misato nods, turning back to the three bridge bunnies.  She turns as the doors open and Ritsuko Akagi walks onto the bridge.  Making a quick decision about protocol and promptness, walks to her college friend and pulls her out from the bridge.

            "What is it?" Akagi asks.

            "Did Kaji tell you?"

            "That your pet penguin is talking?  If it wasn't for him I'd have thought you actually found new levels of drunkenness."

            "Yes.  Pen Pen now speaks.  And he's complaining a lot, to."

            "Are you sure Asuka just doesn't know ventriloquism?"

            Misato glares at her, Akagi shrugging and holding up her hands defensively.

            "Fine, fine, I'll see if I can be over tonight," she says with a sigh, "And Shinji?"

            "He's doing…okay, considering.  I'll talk with him tonight.  I didn't have a chance, last night, but from what I can tell he's talking to himself."

            "Probably just nerves.  The fact that he's not huddled in a corner and drooling after this experience is a sign that he's recovering."

            Misato nods, folding her arms and leaning against the wall.  Akagi does the same, a moment of silent retrospect passing between them.  And soon ending as Misato grins.

            "So, what happened with the Commander?"

            "Don't whisper a word about it to anyone.  I found him."

            "Well?"

            "He broke his ass."

            Commander Ikari winces as the sound of loud laughter comes from the corridor immediately outside Central Dogma.

            "Told you," Fuyutsuki whispers with a chuckle.

            "Professor?"

            "Yes?"

            "Shut up."

            Ariel walks towards her desk, smiling as she looks to Shinji and giving a small wave to him.

            Metatron chooses this moment to appear, grabbing Shinji by the shoulder.

            "Listen to me," he says, "Something has been put into play.  One of the Angels has abandoned the Plan and has decided to move into…"

            He turns, to lock eyes with Ariel, who waves to him with a smile.  It takes a moment for Metatron to realize she's waving at him.

            "Oh, bloody Hell."


	5. Intermission

**Intermission:**

**The Adventures of the Embryonic Adam**

_______________________________________

            Sprouting four small, two toed legs, the yellow, spiny, wide eyed little yellow creature crawls out of the utility duct that it had entered from the Commander's office.

            Looking about, curious in its embryonic state, Adam crawls down the wall into the women's locker room.  It perks its ears up at the sounds of metal clanging and motion, leaping off the wall and onto the tops of a row of lockers.

            Clicking, the small reptilian form scurries along at the sound of an inhabitant humming.  The singer it finds is a woman with short brown hair, her uniform on the bench, as she changes, in her underclothes, to her civilian garb.

            To this sight, Adam gives off a series of loud clicks.

            The woman turns, looking up…and sees the reptilian form sporting a deformed humanoid face with large eyes staring at her.  Her, more importantly, her chest, while clicking its mouth.

            Understandably, she screams, grabbing her clothes and running out.

            Adam watches her go, and then convulses, emitting a series of wet gurgles.  It stands on its hind legs, testing the legs out as it realizes millions of years of evolution in a matter of seconds.

            Dancing cheerfully, the little creature hops down to the bench, and then the floor, running out in a lopsided gait.

            Ritsuko walks into her office to find the previously mentioned young woman examining herself in the mirror, mostly her eyes, pulling them open so she can check her pupils for dialation.

            "Maya, what are you doing?" she asks.

            Maya Ibuki, Lieutenant, bridge bunny, and Akagi's assistant, turns.

            "I…was checking for any symptoms of hallucination, Sempai," she says, "I'm sorry, but I thought I saw something in the locker room."

            "Such as?"

            "Small, yellow, scaled, four legs and a tail."

            "An iguana?"

            "No…it had a human face.  Like a fetal pig from a biology dissection."

            There is never a good moment to ask someone close to you if they have recently had an MRI or CAT scan, Ritsuko realizes.  Even less so to make a declaration of insanity on one's own assistant.  But if anything, she has learned tact.  She knows what to ask, and most importantly, how to diagnose.

            "You haven't had much sleep lately, have you?" she asks.

            "No, Sempai."

            "I thought so," Ritsuko says, patting Maya on the arm, "Especially with how much work the recovery efforts on Unit 01 took.  Take the rest of the day off.  Get some sleep, and I'll talk with you tomorrow.  Understood?"

            Maya nods, smiling faintly at her mentor's attention.

            "Yes, Sempai," she says, and walks out of the office, leaving Ritsuko to a brief pondering.

            "Yellow?" she asks herself, "Where would she get that image?"

            See Adam.

            See Adam run.

            See Adam run in front of a vending machine.

            See Adam realize he has not eaten since Second Impact.

            See Adam climb into the vending machine and proceed to eat all of the contents, quickly learning how to open wrapped sandwiches after realizing it doesn't like how plastic tastes.

            See Adam collapse to the bottom of the vending machine with a contented moan and a bulging belly, before falling out of the slot and stumbling through the empty hallways to find a quiet, soft place to lie down.

            See Adam realize he doesn't like instant noodles.

            See Adam yack up a small portion of it on the floor, before running down the hall.

            See Adam perk his head out from behind the corner as someone slips and falls on it, letting out a yelp.

            Maya hands in the air for a moment, slipping on the hacked up noodles and collapsing to the floor in a spectacular heap.

            She looks up from her sprawled position, catching a glimpse of a blur of yellow…and begins laughing hysterically.

            She continues laughing that way for a small time, until the other two bridge bunnies find her and, shrugging and chalking it up to work, heft her up and carry her back to Dr. Akagi's office.

            Adam finds his way back into the ductwork, skittering through the interior of the NERV base.  Evolution once more takes hold, giving Adam a remarkable sense of smell and night vision, allowing him to seek out what smells to him like a good place to sleep.

            His vision lets him navigate the dark air ducts, climbing higher and higher through the facility and finally through the narrow gratings of the dark office it came from.

            There lies the warm and comfortable place it smelled, the briefcase with many papers in it.

            Papers are wood, and wood is warm, and many papers together are very warm, Adam thinks to himself.  And so, Adam hops up onto the desk her escaped from earlier that day, climbing into the briefcase, and with the back of it open to the door and blocking his view, contentedly falls asleep.

            That would be one reason he does not make a sound when the briefcase closes on him.

            Commander Ikari locks the briefcase, picking it up and turning to Fuyutsuki.

            "I'm going for the day," he says, "If Rei calls, tell her to call me.  I asked her to observe the Third Child and to tell me if any problems have arisen."

            "Understood," Fuyutsuki responds, "Remember, keep off your feet.  I'm not a medical doctor but I am old enough to tell you how to recover."

            Ikari grins, nodding.

            "As you say, Professor."

            Ikari straightens his face, pushing his glasses back up his nose, and walks out of the office.  The briefcase sways back and forth in his hands, as the Commander walks in a brisk pace the distance between his office and the maglevs leading to his apartment.

            Ignoring all the people he passes, the Commander's thoughts, as always, center on his developing plans.  How to work things in, possible changes, even the ultimate goal.

            What he does not figure is the telepathic lizard/human sleeping in his briefcase, dreams startled by the thoughts of the one carrying him.

            Sitting in his chair on the maglev, Ikari grimaces at the small shooting, burning pain in his seat.  Pushing thoughts of pain to the back of his mind, he opens the briefcase…and for a moment, stares at the sleeping form of the being that just made a bed out of his papers.

            If not for the fact that he evolved stronger legs, was bigger, and had its eyes closed, Ikari would have recognized Adam right off the bat.

            As it is, Ikari wonders just how hard he hit his head.

            He looks up, looking around to see that he is, in fact, alone in the maglev car and that there is no gas coming out of the air vents, and then looks back down at the briefcase.

            He does not know that evolution has taken hold once more and granted Adam an enhanced version of a chameleon's ability to blend in to its surroundings.  He only sees that there IS, in fact, no longer a yellow lizard thingy with a person's face in his briefcase.

            "Hm," he says to himself, "I was always told that narcotics make you see gremlins.  To each their own."

            He takes the book from the inside pocket of the briefcase, closing it, and begins reading as the train speeds along.

            Camouflaged via the shifting pigments of its cells, Adam climbs out of the briefcase.  He looks around the Spartan apartment, clicking his tongue before hopping off the simple table.  Looking for something, anything, of interest, he walks between Ikari's legs as the Commander walks to the other side of the living room/bedroom and to the answering machine lying by the simple bed.

            "_It's me,_" the female voice on the machine says, "_I'm busy tonight.  My assistant's having some sort of breakdown, and the Major seems to be going insane, to.  I'll talk with you tomorrow._"

            Ikari grimaces, shaking his head, and turns to the briefcase as the phone within it rings.

            Adam deftly dodges Ikari, jumping on the bed before finding a hint of color in the room.

            "Rei?" Ikari says, "Yes.  A new student?  Very well, observe her.  If she becomes a threat, then yes.  Very well.  Excellent.  And Shinji, as well?  Good.  I will talk with you later.  Good bye."

            As Ikari closes the phone, Adam hops onto the long table propped against the wall, where rests, among other things, a single framed photo.

            Of Ikari, a woman with brown hair, and a small baby in her arms.  Adam tilts his head, examining the picture with interest, trying to place the smiling Ikari and the somber Ikari.

            He places, with astounding ability, the name Shinji to the baby.  After all, even if it were not detectable by the layman, Ikari referred to the name 'Shinji' as one of his blood, much like Lilith would refer to any Lilim as such.

            Connections are made, thoughts put themselves into place, and Adam decides he will act on behalf of the greater good to connect the smiling and somber Ikaris once more, even if it is not normally his place.

            It is then that another stage of evolution takes place, and Adam gains the next extent of camouflage ability:  Shape shifting.

            There is a small tensing of muscle and tearing of skin, but Adam feels little pain as his reptilian form turns into a 6" version of Yui Ikari.

            Adam makes a cracking sound from his throat, a telepathic probe picking up mannerisms and long-suppressed memories, and then causing a brief burst of pain to force Ikari to turn.

            Ikari's glasses fall to the floor.  His jaw falls open.

            Adam decides that Ikari needs to sit.

            One AT field-borne push later and Ikari is sitting in the apartment's sole recliner.

            Adam hops off the table, walking with a female gait to the human, hopping onto his knee and then onto his shoulder, turning his head to face him.

            Another telepathic probe brings to Adam the voice patterns and mannerisms of the departed woman, and gives Adam what he needs to begin their talk.

            "You've been very, very bad…"


	6. Announcement

Small announcement:  
  
I AM going to get back to work on this fic as soon as I can. My delay is because I'm currently in grad school, and working a pair of part time jobs to support myself while doing so.  
  
And who knew Grad School was this much work?  
Really, who knew? You should've told me beforehand.  
Any case, I should be updating as soon as I can-I have this fic planned out, don't worry. And the penguin can talk for a purpose to be revealed later.  
  
And yes, I think Gendo goes well in physical comedy. More with him later... 


	7. Shinji Created Heaven and Earth

And it's up!  Why so long?  Because I got A's in my grad school classes!...and yes, Bruce Almighty came out today, to.  And no, I haven't seen it yet.

**…Shinji created the Heaven and Earth…**

___________________________________

            Back in the classroom, that morning…

            Shinji snaps his fingers, wishing for time to stop, and turns to Metatron.

            "Who is that?"

            "That," the Metatron says, pointing to Ariel, "Is a very bad sign.  The Plan has changed and I think we may be in serious, knee deep poop!"

            Shinji looks to Ariel, then looks back to Metatron with a shrug.

            "Why?  She's just another student."

            "Student my arse," Metatron says, grabbing Shinji by the shoulders and looking him in the eye, "That is Arael, the 15th Angel.  Don't even think you're the same age.  She was ancient when Methuselah was born."

            Shinji turns to Ariel.  He turns back to Metatron.  He turns back to Ariel, scratching his head, and then back to the angel.

            "Oh," he says, "Well, she keeps herself pretty well for her age, I guess."

            "That's the first player in this drama.  Or romance, or comedy, or whatever it must be referred to as.  Now, enter the second player.  Stage right."

            In the moment time froze (if such a term applies), two figures appeared on the catwalk that stands at face-level in 02's cage.

            "So, this is a Slayer of God," the Morningstar says, "Odd, that they'd term what she was made from and what the other Evangelions were made from as Angels.  Were not Adam and Lilith the first humans?"

            "We are not here to debate Theology, my son," He-who-was-God responds, "We're making plans.  Do you think this one will do?"

            "I have no doubt, Father," the Morningstar says, as the Eva's eyes glow for a brief moment, defying now the lays of temporal progression, "I have no doubt at all."

            And then, they are gone.

            Class got slightly more interesting after time resumed.

            Among other things, a giant humanoid lizard began walking around the class, idly stepping on students despite not affecting them in the slightest.

            Knowing better than to scream in horror, he turns to Metatron, to find his guide has buried his face in his hands.

            "Who…"

            "Sandalphon," he groans, "She went and brought Sandalphon as her spirit-helper."

            "Um…"

            "When a divine being manifests fully in human form, they bring a spirit guide, another divine being, with them.  The Lord maintained that since you are now a divine being, and therefore in need of a guide, hence I.  Arael is similar…and she chose him."

            Shinji nods, pretending once more to pay attention to the class.

            "Sandalphon is my twin," Metatron continues, "However…well, you don't technically kill angels.  We simply leave the corporeal matter-flesh when we're destroyed, and our spirit, our true essence, returns to Heaven.  However, it takes a while for us to be…reminded…of what we truly are."

            Sandalphon pitches its head back, and emits a long, cracking gurgle/roar before bending down and biting Rei.  She doesn't notice, partly because she is unharmed, but then again, she's Rei.

            Shinji shrugs, turning back to the teacher.

            "Are any of the others still around?" he whispers.

            "Look out the window."

            Shinji does so…and sees, in the distance, the lanky, lumbering form of Sachiel splashing around in the ocean.  It turns, waves, and goes back to taking a bath off the coast of Japan.

            "Sachiel," Metatron says with a laugh, "He never could hold a grudge."

            Lunch time comes quickly, and Shinji finds himself sitting alone.  With Touji in the hospital, and Kensuke in Tokyo-2, Shinji finds no one to sit with.  At least, in his opinion.

            That soon changes.

            "So," Metatron says, sitting next to Shinji, "Where's your friends?"

            "They're not here," Shinji says, closing his eyes at the painful memories, "They left.  I don't have any friends here."

            "And look how this will change."

            Shinji looks up as the tray slams down in front of him.  He looks up…and looks into Ariel's blue eyes.

            "H-hello."

            "Hi," Ariel says, "Mind if I join you two?"

            "Hello, Arael," Metatron says, "May I ask exactly why you've taken flesh?"

            "Ask Father.  He agreed to send me here."

            Shinji ignores the two as they begin arguing, opening his bento box and fishing through the contents with his chopsticks.

            No one pays special notice to the girl yelling at what appears to be just Shinji.  They simply assumed Asuka has a sister.

            "So, why are you here?" Ariel asks.

            "Standing orders from the Boss are to look out for the kid and help him with his powers," Metatron responds, "With some…add-ons."

            "Such as?"

            Metatron coughs, grinning ever so slightly.

            "His final orders before sending me to Shinji were…'get the kid to loosen up.'"

            "The Lord said that."

            "Yes."

            "You're kidding."

            "I am not, Arael.  His standing orders are to get the kid to stop acting so damn glum."

            "And why would I want that?"

            The two angels start, turning to Shinji as he finally speaks up.  His face is creased with irritation, his eyes clenched shut.

            "Just stop, alright?" he asks, "Just…stop."

            He closes his bento box, picking it up and walking away.  For a moment, Ariel and Metatron sit, staring at the seat he occupied.

            "Going to be a difficult task," Ariel says, picking at her food, "I'm up for the challenge."

            School ends for the day, and the three pilots find themselves at the NERV headquarters.  After the typical run-around and instructions, the three children were suited up, deposited into their entry plugs, and the routine of the Sync tests began anew.

            In the past, he found these things annoying.  Tonight, considering his new position, his spirit guide, and the girl who apparently came as part of the package, Shinji finds the sync tests to be a little piece of solitary bliss.

            "_Shinji?_"

            He half-opens his right eye, staring at the image window that shows Misato's face.

            "_You still awake?_"

            "Um…I thi-…yeah," he says, "Is it over?"

            "_Yep.__  We're retrieving you now.  Everything alright?"_

            "Yeah," he lies, "Everything's fine."

            "Oh, you know she can see right through that."

            Shinji starts, to see the head of Metatron phasing in through the outer wall of the Entry Plug.

            "Nice place," Metatron continues, "Do you _like_ living in tomato soup or is the rent good?"

            As a benefit of her heritage, Rei knows that something is wrong with Shinji.  She can not tell exactly what, but she can sense it.  She can sense the difference in his…presence, and the odd shape that seems to follow him wherever it goes.

            She can not see what it is exactly, but it seems to be connected to the new student in their class.  When she was yelling at Shinji, she could see she was yelling at something to his side…and she could sense the reactions from the shape.

            The shape could be a danger to the Scenario.  The Commander would not be pleased.  But he would have Shinji harmed.

            She will deal with this herself.

            "Well, your scores seem to be holding steady," Ritsuko says, the three Children seated in front of her, "Shinji, you're holding at your last rate.  Good, considering the past month.  Rei, Asuka, I don't see any changes.  You're dismissed."

            Rei pays no attention to Sohryu, barely hearing the girl grumble about her abysmal scores, instead walking after Shinji.

            She enters the woman's lockers as Shinji enters the men's, changing with methodical precision, tuning out Pilot Sohryu.  She leaves moments before Asuka, giving her the leeway to avoid the pilot and use the cell phone with no one listening in.

            "Commander," she says, "There is a new student.  She has been spending time around Pilot Ikari.  Shall I observe her?  May I interfere?  Am I allowed to eliminate her if she becomes to close?  Sync scores are remaining steady.  Yes, Shinji's scores are the same.  Thank you, Commander.  Yes.  Good bye."

            She stops, turning her head as Shinji absently walks by her, lost in thought.

            "Shinji."

            He jumps, broken from his reverie, looking to his right as if questioning the odd shape accompanying him.

            "Rei," he says, "Can I help you?"

            "Yes.  I need you to walk me home."

            _This will give me time to observe.  I must see if this new thing is a threat to h…to the plan._

            "Can't someone…"

            The question dies on Shinji's lips as she stares at him.  Despite her exterior coldness, he has developed an uncanny knack for reading her…and knowing when not to question her.

            "Alright," he says, "So…what happened when I was…away?"

            "I'm surprised you got your own apartment so quickly," Metatron says, sitting in the typically sparse chair as he watches Ariel unpack, "And in Katsuragi's apartment building, to.  Is there some plan I should be aware of?"

            The girl chuckles as she finishes putting away her clothes, pulling out another duffle bag from the duffle she was emptying.

            "I am the Angel of Light," she says, "But I am not my predecessor.  I'm just here to observe."

            Metatron simples folds his hands in front of him, forming a bridge under his nose as he leans forward.

            "The other Angels do not take well to this, do they?"

            "…no.  Tabris is on the verge of open rebellion.  He doesn't have the grounding mortality will give him."

            "And the others?"

            "The others vary from indifference to practically cheering the boy on.  But they will follow Tabris.  He is the last and the leader.  He is good when he must convince."

            Metatron mumbles an acknowledgement, looking past her.  As reluctant as he is to admit it, he is becoming concerned with the designated Deity.

            "Shinji's not like the others who the Lord tested," he says, "He's…how do I put it?"

            "Reluctant?"

            "Yes.  He asked for my approval before wishing for a little vengeance on his father.  He doesn't revel in the power like all the others did."

            Ariel nods, pulling a small radio out of the duffle and placing it on the dresser.

            "He's had power like that," she responds, "Those monsters, especially his.  They're shadows of us, shadows of the Mother.  Why would he revel in the power when he knows where it leads to?"

            Metatron nods, grunting an acknowledgement…and smirks, raising an eyebrow as his gaze bores into Ariel.

            "Why, is that genuine concern I hear?"

            And thankfully, due to him being intangible, the radio thrown at him has no effect.

            It has been something Shinji has wanted to do ever since he first learned of it.  His first mistake, and his most damning in his eyes.

            He came to the decision on his way home from Rei's apartment.  He didn't pay attention to her, not like he usually would.  He didn't really talk, he didn't try conversation.  He knew she was curious.  On some level, he knew that she could sense what he had become.  He just wished she could just…out and say it.

            "I wish she wasn't so cold," he says, "I wish she could just express her feelings."

            He hospital doors open with a wave of his hand.  Visiting hours are long since past, but it doesn't matter to him.  On a subconscious level, he knows he's tapping into a further state of the power.

            He knows these doors are opening by His will alone, not by sensors.  He knows that the cameras will not report his presence, because He has willed them not to.  He doesn't know it consciously, but that isn't on his mind now.

            What's on his mind now is the person lying in the bed in front of him.

            Sighing heavily, he sits in the chair by her bed.  The chair that for the past month has been without use, its normal occupant now residing in a room not far off from this one, no longer able to leave his bed.

            He knows the story.  Her name is Mari Suzuhara.  She had black hair, green eyes, and is just under 9 years old.  In his first sortie in Evangelion 01, Shinji, inexperienced and out of control, brought a building down on her.  Most of her bones were broken.  Her internal organs were damaged.  Her spine was almost severed, and it is believed she will be in her teens before she can even walk again, even with the NERV doctors working on her.

            _There,_ he thinks, _There's that guilt again.  What I could have done if I was in control…_

            But now it is different.  Now he has control.

            "But do you?"

            He looks up, to find the Metatron once more with him.

            "Have you ever heard of Lazarus, Shinji," Metatron asks, "Lazarus was a dead man.  A friend of Jesus Christ, who the Savior revived from the dead.  But in wishing that he would not die, he cursed Lazarus to forever walk the Earth."

            "Why are you telling me this?"

            Metatron shakes his head, clasping his hands behind him.

            "The power you wield takes you almost brutally literal.  Do you wish for perfect health?  Then the girl will not age, stuck in the perfect form of a nine year old for the rest of her days.  Do you wish to reverse the action to absolve yourself of guilt?  How do you do so, by using your knowledge of what is now and endangering us all by tampering with time?  A large part of this is not just fixing wrongs.  It is acceptance.  It is putting aside the past, and accepting the future.  What do you, then?  What is your wish?"

            Shinji closes his eyes, taking deep, shuddering breaths.  He could just turn back time, or wish for an ideal scenario where Mari was healed, her brother never had to pilot a possessed Eva, and all else was right with the world.

            Sensing the decision, Metatron leaves.  And sighing, Shinji extends his hand, holding it over the girl's prone form.

            The water in the glass next to her bed parts.  Outside, the cicadas stop chirping.  And Shinji Ikari makes his peace with one aspect of his past.

            "I wish you were healed."


	8. And on the Third Day

**And on the Third Day…******

**________________________**

            Lorenz Kihl is not having a good day.  Firstly, he got up on the wrong side of his cryogenic preservation unit, his morning stool had the consistency of soup, and he has this cracking thing whenever he blinks that is driving him nuts.  Not bad for the oldest man in the world, yes, but annoying nonetheless.

            There are also the nightmares he has been having.  He has called to bear lessons taken in zen meditation, but still he sees flame and wings when he sleeps.  Some programming checks into his visor/cerebrum linkup are in order.

            Even worse is the fact that no one knows where the Hell Ikari is.  It's worse enough when Ikari is belligerent and clearly following an agenda other than the one prescribed to him by SEELE, but at least he's on time.  He may be an asshole, but he's an asshole who _keeps showing up._

            The musing/fuming of the cloak-wearing geriatric puppet master is broken by the sound of the intercom chiming.

            "_Sir,_" the female voice with a healthy amount of fear, his personal assistant, says, "_Commander Ikari from __Japan__ is on line 1._"

            A predatory grin appears on Kihl's face.

            "Put him through."

            Kihl folds his hands in front of his face in a mirror image of Ikari's pose.  The holographic screen manifests at the front of his desk, blurring into the face of Commander Ikari…

            Who has his arms folded, sans his jacket, and his glasses folded neatly in his pocket.

            "_Good morning, Kihl.  Sorry if I had you worried, but I had a rough night.  What's up?_"

            Kihl stammers, one eye twitching behind his visor.

            "_So…if that's all, the meeting's…right, tomorrow.  We'll chat-chat then, aye?_"

            He points his index fingers at Kihl, clicking his tongue.

            "_Catch'ya__ later._"

            And the screen blinks out.  It takes a few moments for Kihl to regain his composure.  Thankfully, he had all solid waste extracted earlier so not to soil himself, which he would have.  Even still, he's wondering one thing.

            "What the _hell_ just happened?"

            "That should give him something to think about."

            Gendo Ikari shrugs on his jacket, the 6" tall approximation of his wife nodding to him from his dresser.  While arguably stupid to play with his taskmaster's mind in such a fashion, it is also unpredictable.  At very least, while Kihl reboots his brain, there is more time to implement his own scenarios.

            After all, the expression of 'too many cooks in the kitchen' applies not only to cooking, but also to clandestine agendas.  The less interference from the old man, the better.

            And admittedly, that _was_ fun, Ikari muses with a chuckle, as he dons his glasses…and gets a disapproving glare from 'Yui.'  Silently, he takes off his glasses, putting them in his jacket pocket.  She nods, beaming.

            "And remember," she chirps, "A frown's just a smile turned upside down!"

            Slowly, painfully, the edges of Gendo's lips twitch.  His lips stretch.  Creases appear on the edges of his face, around his eyes.  Skin stretches, freshly brushed teeth shining.

            And Commander Ikari smiles.  The miniscule approximation of his wife happily claps, and Ikari nods.

            "Thank you," he says, "I should get going."

            She nods, and he walks out.  The form shifting back to the beige chameleon, Adam hops off the table and walks to the closet.  Turning now immaterial, he passes through and into the small cache of DVDs.

            Chirping happily, he begins.

            "You know, I don't understand why you felt guilty," Metatron says, walking alongside Shinji as they walk to school, "The building collapsed after Sachiel put an energy bolt through your Evangelion's brain.  You weren't even conscious."

            "That's not the point.  If I knew what I was doing I could have done better."

            "I doubt even the highest trained pilot can maneuver when an energy pike has just been shoved through their brain.  Really, there were bets the Evangelion wouldn't even get up after that."

            Shinji grumbles under his breath, quickening his pace.  Metatron simply matches it, deciding soon after that conversation at this point would be futile.

            "Well, looks like someone's been busy."

            The two turn to find Ariel sitting atop one of the cement columns flanking the gates.  Smiling, she pushes off, landing gracefully and hopping over to Shinji.

            "Congratulations," she says, patting him on the shoulder.

            "On what?"

            "On finally exercising the Power.  So, what's next?  Send away the last couple of Angels?  Give your room mate a pleasant personality?"

            "You shouldn't talk about Asuka like that…"

            "Oh, she's not coming to school today," Ariel says, sighing, "And maybe you should loosen up yourself, to.  Too serious."

            Shinji simply glares at her, before shaking his head and walking past her.

            "In a way I feel sorry for him," the Metatron says, "There's too much stacked upon his shoulders for such a young man."

            "Although if not for what he's been forced to do, do you think Heaven would have even noticed him?"

            He turns to Ariel, staring at her in a look reminiscent of confusion…and sighing, he nods.

            "No," he says, "In some ways, we can be as bad as the Lilim."

            School came and went.  Knowing full well that the hospital, or at very least the room where his friend resides in is now filled with celebration rather than silence, Shinji decided to delay his first sight of a healed Mari Suzuhara.

            Instead, he decided to lighten his mood a bit and satisfy his curiosity.  Rei wasn't in school this day, and arriving at her apartment he decides to see why.

            "Hello," he asks, walking into the apartment, "Ayanami?  Rei?  I wanted to see if you were okay."

            He walks down the hallway of the apartment's entrance.  Idly, he walks into the main room.

            "Hello?"

            And then the white blur tackles him.

            _It's __three o'clock__.  I should check in with Rei._

            Placing his glasses back on his nose, with no small satisfaction to the number of face faults that alone has caused today, Gendo reaches for his desk phone and dials the number for the First Child's cell phone.

            What surprises him is that there's no answer.

            _Hm__…what could she be doing?_

            Scrambling back, Shinji allows the gears of his mind to turn, relaying to him several facts.

            1)  Rei is on all fours, crawling towards him.

            2)  Rei is wearing only a white buttoned shirt.

            3)  Rei is smiling really widely.  Not the small smile he coaxed from her after the Fifth Angel, but a smile that tells him she's looking at him like _fresh kill._

            "Rei," he says, moving towards the door, "Why are you doing this?"

            "It is agreeable," she responds.

            And with enough distance to the door cleared, Shinji scrambles to his feet and runs.

            To his credit, months of living with Asuka and piloting Eva have given Shinji some running ability.  In the brief split second before the First Child reacts, he's already cleared the distance down the hallway and to the door.

            Unfortunately, doorknobs need to be opened.

            And Rei has been piloting longer than Shinji has.

            This comes to Shinji's mind the moment he bolts from the door and the pale hand grabs him firmly by the belt.

            And the look of pathetic resignation crosses Shinji's face for only a moment before he's yanked back into the apartment and the door is slammed shut behind him.

            Gendo taps his fingers on his desk, dialing Rei's number once again.  Growling lowly, he rolls his head back, feelings of worry and slow, simmering anger running through his mind…

            And finally, the line is picked up.

            "Rei," he demands.

            "_Ye-es,_" the voice sing-songs.

            Pausing a moment to try to connect the voice on the other end with the unemotional girl he raised, he clears his throat to admonish her on her tardiness.

            "_I'll be right back.  I need to finish with Ikari-Kun first!_"

            And before she hangs up, he can hear, in the background, a pathetic cry of Shinji asking for his pants back.

            Not even waiting for the image to process, he slams down the button on his phone for Section 2.

            "Get me the First Child," he growls, "NOW!"

            Metatron whistles, standing next to Ariel as they watch the black suited men kick open the door to Rei's apartment…and promptly freeze before the newer of them double over in laughter.

            "You do intent to tell him how this happened," Ariel deadpans, "Right?"

            "Absolutely.  And thankfully they got their just in time, or you'd never have the chance to deflower him yourself."

            He fades away, as Ariel turns to him.

            "Hey!  What does that…"

            She mutters to herself, sitting down on the rooftop.

            "Bloody running plot gag."

            Sitting quietly, Shinji tries not to look directly at his father.

            He is sitting in one of two chairs in his father's office, uncomfortable chairs that only make him more aware of how uncomfortable his situation is.  Besides his tousled hair and the belt buckle now crushed beyond recognition in Rei's zeal to have her way with him, there is also the small buzzing in the back of his head as, for some reason, his mind begins going through the motions of placing Rei's face to something in his past.

            He believes that in addition to Omnipotence, he is now experiencing the first phases of Omniscience.  Knowing everything.

            Next to him, Rei gives out a small giggle.  Gendo glares at her, before turning back to staring at the two evenly.  He opens his mouth, to lay down the law as he sees fit…and his phone beeps.  He taps the button for the speaker phone.

            "Yes?"

            "_Commander?__  You're needed in the Dummy Plug room-IMMEDIATELY!_"

            "What is the situation, Dr. Akagi?"

            "_I can't explain…it's…they're going nuts!_"

            Gendo's eyes snap wide.  Pushing back his chair, he walks swiftly to the door, breaking into a run as he clears the doorway.

            Shinji simply sits as his mind continues its workings, not meeting Rei's gaze as a feeling of profound unease begins creeping up his spine.

            And then, Rei's face places itself.  A mirror image of the face he now remembers in Unit 01…

            His mother.

            More knowledge is summoned up, bringing to bear facts, truths, and other things that confirm the dreading guess in the back of Shinji's mind.

            _I was almost deflowered by my half sister._

            And Shinji screams.

            Mirrored, ironically, and yet exactly in the girlish, terrified tone, by his father.


	9. Attack of the Killer Reis

Sorry 'bout the delay.  Real life and all, and varied little projects of mine.

I don't own this, I just play with it.

**Attack of the Killer Reis**

**______________________**

            Ritsuko Akagi has done many things in her life.  She has brought about death, destruction, helped in a genocidal plan to bring about the end of the world, and manipulated those close to her to bring about the goals of the man she loves.  She has done all these things with nothing more than a perverted version of affection in mind.

            But none of them have brought to her the satisfaction of the sight of Gendo Ikari screaming like a girl as he stands frozen in the entrance to the Dummy Plug room.

            "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!"

            "Exactly what it looks like," Ritsuko deadpans, "The Reis have gone berserk."

            Dumbly, the Supreme Commander of NERV walks over to Akagi's side, peering into the massive tank that has been nicknamed the Reiquarium.

            The Reis, the many, many exact replicas of the First Child, take time out of their spirited game of Marco Polo to swim down and stare at the two scientists with wide, toothy grins, the type that makes one unsure whether if they're glad to have company or if they're pondering recipes.

            But it lasts only for a second, before they swim off to hide in the respective vents.

            At least, until every alarm in the base goes off.

            For a man pushing fifty, Gendo Ikari can run surprisingly fast.

            Skidding to a half in the doors to his office, he bypassed Central Dogma entirely.  He knew, of course.  He always knows what's going to happen, and he knew this time what happened when he sees that one of the chairs is empty.  And the empty chair isn't the one Shinji is sitting in.

            "Where.  Is.  Rei?"

            Shinji dry swallows.  Omnipotence or not, he still finds it hard not to be frightened by his father, especially when situations like this arise.  Not that it is directly Shinji's fault, but he finds he can't make the words to completely explain it.

            "Rei…said she was going to fix things up for me.  Now that we're sisters."

            Even faster than before, his father now stands in front of his chair.

            "How?"

            "She said she would…settle things with…Asuka."

            Gendo Ikari does not say a word.  He does not make a move or a gesture, only staring blankly at Shinji…although something does appear on his forehead which Shinji notices.

            "Um…Dad?  There's a vein popping out…"

            Asuka Langely Sohryu opens the door to find a slightly ruffled Rei standing in front of her.

            "What is it, Wondergirl?"

            Rei smiles.  A small smile that shows teeth, not dissimilar to the one she gave Shinji when she attempted to mount him.  It still shows anticipation on her part.  Not of unfamiliar attraction, but this one is of deep-seeded satisfaction of a thing she has long wanted to say.

            "Stop tormenting Shinji, you kraut bitch."

            "BLUE PATTERN DETECTED," Maya Ibuki shrieks, "We have a Blue Pattern in…it's in Tokyo-3!"

            There's a small crash of objects hitting the floor as Fuyutsuki stands, and Misato runs over to Maya's side.  The other two Bridge Bunnies are quickly working in stride, collating data and positions that will be fed into the Entry Plugs.

            "Where is it," Misato demands.

            "We're narrowing down locations," Shigeru responds, "Locked on…what the Hell?"

            Misato runs over to his console, narrowing her eyes as a direct location appears…

            "What is an Angel doing in MY APARTMENT?!"

            "I called you that because it seems most appropriate," Rei says, as Asuka looks at her dumb-struck, "Kraut is the word I hear most often from Aida and Suzuhara to describe you, as it is derogatory for Germanic descent.  And as you are contradictory, bipolar, easy to enrage and hypocritical in your behavior, you are a bitch."

            Patterns can be made of even the most unpredictable person's behavior if one tries hard enough.  Rei, always the social outcast, has made it a point to observe people so she can find these patterns for her later advantage.

            True to Asuka's patterns, she replies to Rei's words with a punch.

            Which makes it surprising to the red-head when Rei catches the punch and begins to squeeze with surprising strength.

            "I am created from the Second Angel, and from genetic material taken from Yui Ikari.  Therefore, I am Shinji's sister.  I am now assuming my role of protecting my younger sibling."

            She grabs Asuka by the shirt, lifting her with ease off of the ground as her eyes begin to glow red.

            And then, she does what she thinks is at the time the most logical step.

            She puts Asuka through a wall.

            Shinji takes off in a run the moment he exits NERV.  The Metatron appears behind him, floating beside him as he makes the mad dash to his apartment.

            "You'll get in trouble for abandoning the base like this," he says, "They may become suspicious."

            "I can deal with that," Shinji pants, "But I have to stop Rei!"

            "Seems to me she's doing what comes naturally to her.  She was told to protect you.  No one's rescinded the order."

            Shinji says nothing, running as fast as he can.

            Asuka spits out a wad of blood, standing shakily in Shinji's room.  Rei reaches through the hole in the wall and unlocks the door, sliding it open and walking up to Asuka.

            "You will apologize for everything you have done to torment Shinji.  Then you and he will explore whether or not you have feelings for each other.  Or we will continue.  Do you accept?"

            Asuka's reply comes in the form of Shinji's chair smashing into Rei's face, making her stumble back before Asuka grabs the chair leg and slams it into Rei's stomach.

            Swinging it like a baseball bat, Asuka sends Rei flying into the living room, patting it on her hand as she walks after the First Child with a smile.

            "Alright, Wondergirl…you want a fight?"

            She grits her teeth, and takes off in a run at Rei.

            "Then you've _got one!_"

            She swings the chair leg into Rei's stomach, making her bend over in pain before she grabs her by the hair, turning and pulling the screaming Rei with her as she slams her face repeatedly into the wall, finally driving it into the plaster.

            She brings back the chair leg to swing at Rei's knees, when the pale hand snaps out and cracks it in two, tossing it aside as she grabs Asuka.

            Rei pulls herself out of the wall, scowling as she lifts Asuka up, releasing her hold…

            And smiling as Asuka floats.

            She then gestures to the far wall.  And screaming Germanic curses the entire way, Asuka goes flying.

            The Requarium cracks as the Reis throw themselves at it, screaming unintelligibly as Akagi watches dumbstruck.  One moment they were calm, albeit giddy, and the next moment they were spiraling into a rage.

            And they were all yelling something she can vaguely make out.

            Something about…

            "Why do they want a red-head?"

            _Telekinetics__ are fun._

            Lazily waving her hand side to side, Rei watches as Asuka goes flying, screaming and cursing the entire way, from one wall to the other.  No real dents have been made, but the intent is all the same.

            She flies, hits, flies some more, hits.

            Repeat until the point is driven home.  Well, the point or unconsciousness.  Whichever comes first.

            Which is when the pulling starts.  A subconscious pulling, a tug at her very core which seems to draw her from her present task.  Eyes wandering, she turns to the direction of the Geofront.

            "Adam," she says, "I must become one with Adam."

            She leisurely extends her arm, sending Asuka flying across the living room and slamming into the wall, where she slides down unconscious.  She turns from her opponent/target, walking out to the outside walkway.

            Blindly, instinctively, she climbs atop the railing.  Closing her eyes, she lets her instincts guide her.  She steps off…

            And she begins to float.

            "Sir," Aoba shouts, "The Angel has been identified!"

            "Put it onscreen," Misato barks.

            The main holographic screen in Central Dogma flashes, turning into an image outside the Major's apartment building.

            Bursting through the doors, struggling for breath, Commander Ikari skids to a stop next to her, looking up at the image.

            The image of Rei flying towards the Geofront.

            "The Angel," she says, "Is the First Child."

            "You said you wanted her to be more in touch with her emotions," Metatron says, "But her training was all that kept her from activating her S2 organ and seeking out Adam so she could initiate Third Impact.  I don't fault you.  You didn't know this before.  But you _do_ know what you can do about it now, yes?"

            Shinji stares, blankly, as he watches Rei race through the sky towards the main entrance to the Geofront.  One could hazard the mess of emotions racing through Shinji's mind.

            Fear.

            Love.

            Hatred at himself.

            Sadness at what he had to do.

            But in the end, it all boiled down to what he next said.

            "I wish Rei wasn't an Angel."

            And then he could only watch as she fell from the sky.

            "All the computers are going berserk," Maya screams, "MAGI is caught in a casualty loop!  It's locked in deliberation on what's happening to the Angel!"

            Which is when a mighty bellow echoes through the halls of the pyramid.

            Followed by a great purple and green shape bursting through Central Dogma to the surface.

            The first thing that vanished was the longing.

            The second thing that went was the ability to fly, and that's really what Rei finds herself more concerned about.

            Some time ago, she would have confronted falling several hundred feet as she would have anything else.  She would have stared at the approaching ground, said nothing, and rest easy with the knowledge that she was replaceable.

            However, that was then.

            Now, she shrieks as only an excitable schoolgirl can.

            At least, until the giant hand bursts from the ground, grabbing her and resting her in its palm.

            Falling onto her seat, Rei looks up as the blur steadies, looking up at her savior…

            And catches only the barest hint of recognition as Evangelion 01's eyes fade, the giant deactivating waist high in the street.

            "That was a gamble," Ariel says, "Counting on the Evangelion to save her."

            Next to her, the Metatron smiles.

            "It's more a constant," he says, "Yui Ikari always protects her children from mortal harm.  And it was a subconscious wish on Shinji's part, so I'm guessing that he's getting more and more of a grip on the power as he uses it."

            "And when he gets a full grip?"

            "Then," the Metatron says with a grin, "Then it all changes."


End file.
